Compared to conventional semiconductor automated test equipment (ATEs), STSs offer users reduced production costs and increased throughput. Furthermore, they can now perform characterization and production using the same hardware and software tools. This reduces data correlation time and time to market.
The open and modular architecture of STSs gives engineers access to cutting-edge PXI instrumentation, unlike traditional ATEs with their closed architecture. This is particularly important for RF and mixed-signal testing, as the requirements of the latest semiconductor technologies often exceed the test coverage provided by traditional ATEs.
Thanks to TestStand test management software and LabVIEW system design software, the STS comes with a comprehensive feature set for semiconductor production environments, including a customizable user interface, operator/tester integration, device-centric programming with pin/channel mapping, standard test data reporting, and integrated multi-location support. These features enable engineers to quickly develop, debug, and deploy test programs, shortening time to market. In addition to incorporating a fully enclosed zero-footprint test head, standard interface, and docking mechanism, the STS is delivered ready for integration into a semiconductor production test cell.
The STS series includes three different models: T1, T2, and T4, with capacity for one, two, and four PXI chassis, respectively. These different sizes, along with software, instrumentation, and mechanical interconnections common to all STS models, give engineers the ability to optimize a wide range of pin count and location requirements. Furthermore, the scalability of STS makes it practical to deploy from characterization to production, with the advantage not only of cost optimization but also of greatly simplifying data correlation, which further shortens time to market.
